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Idea Vault: “The Keys of Knowledge”

Image by Bohman/Flickr

On the drive up to work, I had an idea for an advocacy effort for libraries. Here’s the skinny:

Libraries around the state issue the Governor a library card. The card is issued to the Office of the Governor, not the individual, so as to avoid any political hangups. This card can be activated or symbolic at the discretion of the library. The library or library system sends the governor the card along with a letter thanking the Governor for their membership in the community and why the library/library system is important to the community it serves.

To combine efforts, a state library association/council could solicit these types of letters and cards from libraries around the state, collect them, and present them as a whole. The cards could be mounted in a frame, or laminated into a giant cartoon-like unfolding wallet accordion, or (as the title of the post suggest) take a hole punch and put all the cards on a giant keyring and present it as “The Keys of Knowledge”. In any event, it can be ceremonially presented to the Governor as a complete package.

The followup would be to send the Governor a letter each year thanking them for renewing their cards and providing them with stories, statistics, and other current happenings of the library. With a new Governor, a new card can be “issued” and the advocacy begins anew.

Note: This can be used for any government position that libraries would like to make a connection. Mayors, Freeholders, City Councils, State Legislators, Congressmen, and (yes, we want to eat our Wheaties) Presidents.